The origins of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) date back to 1994, when the Ministers of Agriculture from Eastern and Southern Africa saw the need for an independent policy input to address chronic food insecurity and the challenges of managing natural resources. In 1997, the Deans of the Faculties of Agriculture from eight countries in the SADC met and agreed to set up FANRPAN in response to the decision of the ministers. Following the drafting of a constitution with support from USAID funding, FANRPAN was officially registered as a private voluntary organization (PVO) in Zimbabwe in 2003. FANRPAN has maintained its registration in Zimbabwe, although it has since moved its regional secretariat office to Pretoria, South Africa where it operates as a fully-fledged international office with diplomatic status. The broad objectives of FANRPAN are to: Promote the development of appropriate agricultural policies in order to reduce poverty, Enhance food security in Africa, and Promote sustainable agricultural development in Africa. Since 2005, FANRPAN has pioneered regional learning and knowledge acquisition in agricultural and food security policy analysis and advocacy, initially in Southern and Eastern Africa, and latterly extending its contribution and reach to continental and global levels. Through strong collaborative and experiential learning with its constituent stakeholders at national and regional levels, FANRPAN has progressively developed its food and agricultural policy engagement and action cycle which is the cornerstone of its distinctive approach to innovation and learning for policy and capacity development at regional and national levels.